Sept. 17--Bharatiya Janata Party politician Subramanian Swamy on Monday filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to block the bilateral air services agreement between India and the United Arab Emirates that had been seen as a sweetener for Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways PJSC to buy a stake in Jet Airways (India) Ltd.
The respondents named in the petition include the ministry of civil aviation, finance ministry, Jet Airways and Etihad.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline in April agreed to purchase a 24% stake in Jet for $379 million. India agreed at the same time to approve an unprecedented 36,670 seats on weekly flights between India and the United Arab Emirates.
"The recent events, including unprecedented haste, lack of transparency, arbitrariness and bias in the consideration of the Jet-Etihad foreign investment clearly evidences the apparent collusion and abuse of position by public servants, to subserve the illegal grant of largesse (Bilateral) and unjust enrichment of foreign airline..," the petition alleged.
The petition can only be admitted after a hearing which is expected this week.
Copyright 2013 - Mint, New Delhi
